1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a support for a material to be fired for a ceramic dental prosthesis, having a support plate which is dimensionally stable when heat is applied and having a plurality of passages, which are arranged perpendicularly relative to the support plate surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Such supports for materials to be fired are used in dental medicine for setting up the respective dental prosthesis and to place it into the firing chamber during repeatedly required firings in connection with the ceramic facing of a metal framing for a dental prosthesis, or complete replacement teeth made of a ceramic material. In this case it is necessary for the stable seating of the dental replacement to support the dental replacement on its inside facing away from the occlusal face on as many points as possible. Warp-free firing is thus assured, and the dental prosthesis to be fired is securely fixed in place.
In the prior art it is known to mount highly temperature-resistant metal pins on the support plate of the support for the material to be fired and to place the dental prosthesis on them. Each one of the metal pins must be matched to the shape of the inside of the dental prosthesis to be supported so that the metal pins are shortened to defined lengths and bent. The shortening requires a considerable effort. Furthermore, the arrangement of the shortened metal pins is only usable for the dental prosthesis which it matches.
German Patent Reference DE 201 18 400 U1 describes a support plate with a plurality of passages arranged perpendicularly relative to the surface of the support plate, into each of which a metal pin can be inserted. The metal pins are pushed from one side of the support plate through the passages until they contact on the other side of the support plate with the inside of the dental prosthesis to be fired. Then the metal pins are fixed in place by an adhesive. In this process the dental prosthesis is fixed, with the occlusal face down, in a deformable support material, while the support plate is maintained at a distance from the dental prosthesis. After successful contact, the arrangement is turned, so that the dental prosthesis is placed on the metal pins. The construction of such a support for material to be fired is elaborate and is matched to only one definitely shaped dental prosthesis.